Plutonium the result of free service
By Peter Wharton
Co – breeder Andrew Stuart
Rugged West Australian stayer Plutonium, who won four consecutive races at Gloucester Park in August, then a miss, and a win last week, is the result of a free service to the great Auckland Reactor.
Andrew Stuart, who bred the six-year-old with his partner Becky Sutorius, an equine veterinarian from Rangiora, takes up the story.
“After Blair Orange drove Auckland Reactor to win the Taylor Mile one of his owners gifted Blair’s wife Lisa with a service to the horse. Becky and I bred Go Go Lavra to him and went halves with Lisa in the resultant foal which became Plutonium,” Stuart said.
“He was a slow maturing type who didn’t race until he has four. Ken Barron gave him a few starts and he was a very impressive winner at Forbury Park one night. We later sold him to Australia.”
Plutonium has won 11 of his 28 starts in his adopted country for a career $125,384 in stakes. Numbered among his successes are four at Gloucester Park, two at Globe Derby Park and one at Melton.
Plutonium winning at Gloucester Park
(C) Hamilton Content Creators
Go Go Lavra, the dam of Plutonium, was a lightly raced winner.
“She had quite a bit of ability,” Stuart said. “She got a fright on the training track and injured a knee, so we never saw the best of her.”
At the stud Go Go Lavra produced only three live foals and all are winners.
Her first foal, Go Fella Go (by Pacific Fella), won at Addington and Marlborough, while Plutonium was her second issue.
Give Me A Minute, a gelding by Raging Bull, was her third and final foal. He has won nine races to date including two at Menangle and one at Albion Park for $73,274 and holds a mark of 1:52.
“We still own a share of him,” Andrew stated.
Plutonium and his siblings belong to one of NZ’s most successful families, that tracing to the King Harold mare Harold’s Rest.
Their dam, Go Go Lavra, was by the NZ Cup and Miracle Mile hero Iraklis from Dillon Diane, by Gaines Minbar from the Gentry mare Birdie, the dam of the four-time Group 1 winner Dillon Dean and the former NZ 2YO of the Year Dillon Dale.
Others from this fine family include Elusive Chick (Harness Jewels 4YO), the former Australian two-year-old mile record holder Divine State, Elmer Gantry, Hero, the Vicbred champion Hei Shangri La, Risk (1:48.4) and the good Melton winner Bettor Be The Bomb.
Stuart and Sutorius, who trade as Loburn Limited, have bred numerous smart performers over the years, many of whom have been successful in Australia.
The list includes Sociable (Queensland Oaks), Lucie Boshier, a dual Group winner in Western Australia, the brilliant but ill-fated Definitely Maybe, the $100,000 winner Real Social, Divinia Bellezza (2nd in Harness Jewels) and recent Tasmanian victor Guido Da Siena.